The Pen
by paigee.yovkoff
Summary: If his mother had been there to witness him swearing under his breath at the sight of the Head Boy badge he'd have been wacked upside the head by a delicately manicured hand. - AU Lily/James beginning in sixth year.
1. 14th of October (Sixth Year)

**The Pen.  
Words: **275 **  
Couple:** Lily Evans and James Potter. **  
Book:** Harry Potter. **  
Generation:** The Marauder's Era. **  
Disclaimer:** All characters you recognize do not belong to me. The prompt was found on Tumblr. **  
AU.**

…

 **14** **th** **of October. (Sixth Year.)**

James Potter can hear tapping. Rapid, inconsistent, scattered and loud. Throughout the quiet school library he can here _tapping_.

Not the sort of noise you make from tapping your finger against a hard surface, but more like the sound those 'chop-stick-things' made when Sirius Black pretended to play the drums on the kitchen bench. But it couldn't be anything of the sort or Madam Pince would have had a fit at the _thought_ of food in her library.

The tapping stopped, leaving James to frown as he heard a familiar voice groan and swear. Just that alone has him closing his Potions book and standing up to move towards where the sound had been coming from.

"Sodding Slughorn," Lily Evans is muttering, bent over her school bag and clutching her own potions book to her chest, "If it's that sodding important the damn man can flipping write his own damn essays."

Coughing, James shifts nervously about three feet from where she was, and he winces slightly when she looks up at him with narrowed eyes. It takes him a moment, nervously running his fingers through his hair to even _think_ of what he could say.

"What Potter?"  
"Uh nothing, I just heard a tapping noise and was, uh, just curious."  
"Well it was a pen, and I've stopped so you can go be curious in a broom closet with Janet the fourth year and leave me alone."

He nods, trying to tell himself that Lily Evans did _not_ sound jealous with that last comment, and turns around. When he's made his way back to his table, James stops.

A _pen_?

What the heck was _that_?

…

 _I started working on this in September 2014. Twenty-Fourteen. I've dubbed myself the procrastination queen._

 _Because I had absolutely no other inspiration, I found it in a headcanon about Lily beginning to use pens instead of quills after the incident in fifth year and James being curious and all that. If you want to see the original headcanon and the add-on tags you can find it here – aziriphales dot tumblr dot com /post/ 62125028509/lovepadfoot-agunfulloftigers-lily-evans – you know the deal, delete the spaces and put in the full stops._

 _At this current time there are ten chapters written and up to seventeen planned. Unsure how long it'll go for really. But let's just go for the ride, huh?_

 _Thank you!_

 _All mistakes are mine._

 _Review?_


	2. 16th of November (Sixth Year)

**The Pen.  
Words: **561 **  
Couple:** Lily Evans and James Potter. **  
Book:** Harry Potter. **  
Generation:** The Marauder's Era. **  
Disclaimer:** All characters you recognize do not belong to me. The prompt was found on Tumblr. **  
AU.**

…

 **16** **th** **of November. (Sixth Year)**

He's late to History of Magic. Not the first time and it won't be the last. Professor Binns is so caught up in his lecture that he doesn't even _notice_ as James slips into the class and takes a seat in the last empty chair.

Right next to _Lily Claire Evans_.

It had been exactly 33 days – just over a month – since she'd snapped at him in the library. She'd even _apologized_ to him at breakfast the next day. They'd been civil with each other for the past month, but he knew she was just waiting for a reason to hate him.

James glances at her with the thought that _maybe_ they could try for friends, because being Lily Evans' friend would have made just about five years of asking her out constantly not completely useless. At least, he hoped.

He's been sitting there for five minutes when he hears the noise from the library. It's still rapid and inconsistent, but not as loud. He looks to her hands to find her tapping the 'pen' against the desk, while fiddling with another small object in her other hand. She stops for a moment to put the object to her parchment and cross out a word and James is momentarily mesmerized by the line of black ink it leaves behind.

The tapping starts again, a lot slower this time, and his eyes are back on the mysterious object between Lily Evans' fingers. Without hesitation he reaches across and snatches it from her fingers just as a knock echoes from the doorway. Lily doesn't fight him, but frowns at his childlike behavior.

"A pen?" he questions, ignoring the presence of Professor McGonagall as she walks to the front of the class room.  
"Yes James, a pen," she answers in a whisper, rolling her eyes.  
"How does it work?"

He looks up from the object to find her trying not to laugh.

"Really?"  
"Yes, how does it work?"

James is trying to mask his confusion from the girl as Minerva McGonagall says Lily's name, causing the pair to look up at their Head of House with contrasting looks upon their faces.

"If you could come with me Miss Evans, I'm sure Mr. Potter will continue your notes for you," the professor says, obviously trying to get them both out of the class room quickly.

James takes in the distress on the Deputy Head Mistress' face and the sympathy etched into Binns' ghostly features and has jumped to his final conclusion.

Something had happened.

"Y-yeah," he stutters, ducking his head with a glimpse at Lily, "I'll fill you in when I see you later."  
"Uh, sure," Lily says slowly, rolling up the parchment in front of her and sliding it into her school bag as she stood up.

His eyes follow her as she leaves the classroom behind Professor McGonagall and in his fist he's clenching the pen he hadn't given back to her. James looks away from the door when he feels someone poke him and finds Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew all looking at him in various states of confusion.

For a moment James Potter had actually forgotten that they were in the middle of a war, and he knew from experience that there was only _one thing_ that could bring that look onto Minerva McGonagall's face. And it wasn't good.

…

 _So when I got this prompt it was intended to just be fluff. Then I did something bad._

 _Sorry c:_

 _All mistakes are mine._

 _Review?_


	3. 27th of November (Sixth Year)

**The Pen.  
Words: **707 **  
Couple:** Lily Evans and James Potter. **  
Book:** Harry Potter. **  
Generation:** The Marauder's Era. **  
Disclaimer:** All characters you recognize do not belong to me. The prompt was found on Tumblr. **  
AU.**

…

 **27** **th** **of November. (Sixth Year)**

He hasn't seen her in a week-and-a-half, and he didn't expect to see her for a while. Hestia Jones had told him she'd be gone for at least a month while she and her sister sorted out their parent's things and put the house up for sale. Personally, James Potter wouldn't blame the girl for not returning to school at all, he knows he'd felt like not coming back after his own father had passed.

But he pushes this all aside as he enters the Gryffindor Common Room and drops lazily into a lounge chair late one night. He notices a sleeping figure on the couch but ignores it, swinging his feet up onto the coffee table.

"Feet off the table Potter, it's rude."

James sits up in shock, his feet dropping off the table.

"Lily?"  
He watches the figure on the couch sit up and almost jumps when she says, "No, the freaking boogy man. You came in past curfew and I need your help."  
"Uh," he blinks, "Sorry, _what_?"  
"McGonagall gave me the work I missed in Transfiguration, I need your help."

It takes him a moment to process, watching her move over so he could sit beside her. He's thrown off by how casual she seemed, how un-fazed she was, how _Lily_ she was acting.

"She gave me the reading stuff, I get it all in _theory_ , but then I go to actually do it and I'm sort of stuck."

James looks to where she's set out the work, recognizing it all from the last three-or-so Transfiguration lessons he'd had without her. With a glance at the watch on his wrist he gives into the idea that she wasn't sleeping and that neither was he, and he moves to sit beside her.

…

Hours later, he's successfully explained the assignment to her and he can no longer ignore the yawn she tries to hide.

"You need to sleep," he murmurs as she's putting the finishing touches on her essay.  
"I'm fine," Lily argues, "I have to finish this."

James can only sigh, leaning back to take in her appearance properly. Her paled face and the dark circles under her eyes are doing no justice to his assumption that she's barely slept while she's been away.

"I know you're lying to me, don't think you're ever going to be capable of lying to me Lily Evans."

He knows that she's rolling her eyes as she begins packing her work away. She's pushing her hair from her face repeatedly in an annoyed huff and he gives into temptation. Reaching across he pulls the hair-tie off of her wrist, momentarily stopping her as she moves her hand for it to slide over her fingers.

"Brush?"

Lily gives him an odd look, glancing between the hair-tie and him, before she obliges and hands him the hair brush from her school bag. He gestures for her to turn around, and she does slowly, obviously concerned with how this may end.

"I know you're tired," he starts as he softly begins to brush the ends of her hair, "Not just physically, but emotionally. And I know that you probably don't want to sleep because you'll dream about it, but you also don't want to stay awake because you feel as though you're constantly drowning in guilt. It's a struggle, and you're burning from both ends of the candle here, but you'd rather feel the guilt then drown in nightmares."

Beginning to brush from higher up in her hair, he takes a deep breath.

"But what happened isn't your fault, and you can't do anything to change it. Even if Petunia is making it seem like it, Lily I assure you, it's _not your fault_."

He's using the hair brush to softly pull hair away from her face before beginning to gather her hair together at the crown of her scalp.

"Now firstly, before you begin jumping to conclusions, I live next door to this little girl and every once in a while I babysit her," he explains, earning a tired laugh from the girl in front of him, "I could braid your hair too but my fingers may get lost in it, there's way too much of it here Evans."

He's finished putting the elastic in her hair when she begins shaking her head and turning to face him.

"And secondly?" Lily questions.  
James picks up her pen off the table and holds it between them, "Secondly, I have spent the last few days trying to figure this out. Can I test my theories with you?"  
"Okay," she nods.  
"Yeah?"  
"Yep."  
"Okay, theory one," he takes breath, "Magic."

He can't help the grin on his face as she begins laughing, he's just happy to see her smiling.

…

 _Because I'm sorry I killed her parents but I'm also not sorry because bonding._

 _Thank you!_

 _All mistakes are mine._

 _Review?_


	4. 4th of December (Sixth Year)

**The Pen.  
Words: **335 **  
Couple:** Lily Evans and James Potter. **  
Book:** Harry Potter. **  
Generation:** The Marauder's Era. **  
Disclaimer:** All characters you recognize do not belong to me. The prompt was found on Tumblr. **  
AU.**

…

 **4** **th** **of December (Sixth Year)**

It comes to Sirius Black's attention, sometime at the beginning of December, that there something _odd_ going on with James Potter. Of course, he could always argue that there had _always_ been something odd about his best friend. It was either his infatuation with Lily Evans or his fascination with constantly running his fingers through his hair. But now, it was the strange contraption between his teeth while reading on Quidditch plays.

The object was black, long and cylindrical, a metal tip at the end that James Potter held between his fingers. Every once in a while Sirius would watch him put it to the page of the book and make a motion as though he was writing something.

Without hesitation, Sirius leans across the couch and pulls the book down flat, "What's that?"  
"What's what?"  
" _That_."  
"This?" James holds the offending object up.  
"Yes, _that_."  
"Oh it's a pen."  
"A _pen_?"  
"A pen."  
"What in Merlin's baggy underpants is a _pen_?"

There's a cough from behind him and Sirius turns to look at Remus in confusion.

"It's a muggle writing tool, ink is inside instead of in a pot," the prefect explains without looking up from his own book, "And I'm guessing it's Lily's."  
Turning back to his friend, there is a smirk on his face as he says, "Lily's? _Really_?"  
"Yes Sirius, Lily's. I had it from before she left, sort of forgot to give it back to her," James shrugs.  
"And you didn't give it back to her when she came back?"  
"No, I've just been-"  
"Confessing your undying love for Lily to it?"  
"-busy. I'm been _busy_."

With a chuckle, Sirius moves back to his original seating position, watches his friend check his watch, the smirk still on his face. When James announces he has a meeting with McGonagall and leaves, Sirius slowly turns to Remus Lupin and waits for him to say something.

"Yes Sirius?"  
"How does it work?"  
Remus sighs, closing his book, "How does _what_ work?"  
"The pen!"

…

 _Late, but blame work and the need for sleep._

 _Happy Valentine's Day losers, mwah._

 _Thank you!_

 _All mistakes are mine._

 _Review?_


	5. 24th of December (Sixth Year)

**The Pen.  
Words: **949 **  
Couple:** James Potter and Lily Evans **  
Book:** Harry Potter **  
Disclaimer:** All characters you recognize belong to J.K. Rowling. **  
AU.**

…

 **24** **th** **of December (Sixth Year)**

It's been about a month since she's come back, and Lily Evans had decided that there was no point in leaving for the Christmas holidays. She said that her schooling was more important that going home to her childhood home to spend a holiday with her sister, someone who would much rather forget that they were related. And James Potter completely understood.

His mother had been devastated when her son had told her that he wasn't planning on going home for the Christmas break, that he would see her on New Year's for the Potter's annual ball. The blow was only softened slightly by Sirius' insistences that he would be returning to the Potter Manor for the holiday break, and James Potter's admittance that he would be staying to keep Lily Evans' company.

She didn't need a babysitter, she hadn't been showing signs of breaking down over the last month. Other than their conversation the night of her return, you wouldn't have known that she had been struggling. And James would not let her struggle. He wanted to help, to make sure that she wasn't going to dive into the deep end and come up begging to breathe.

So that was the plan. Remind her that he was there, that Remus and Sirius were there. That Marlene and Hestia were there. She wasn't going to be alone going through this. He hadn't been alone, so he wouldn't allow her to be.

The girl in question had been dragged off by Professor McGonagall about an hour ago, and judging by the fact that he had just walked past the Gryffindor Head of House five minutes ago, the conversation between the pair was now over. It took an hour of hopeless wandering around the halls before finally giving in and checking the map to find his fellow Gryffindor, sitting out by the Black Lake.

With an invitation from his mother tucked securely in his pocket, James made his way to Lily Evans with a purpose in mind.

…

Since leaving Professor McGonagall's office, Lily Evans had felt relaxed. The Professor had assured her that the school would find her appropriate housing for over the summer break, as her sister would refuse to care for her. The situation itself was stupid. Honestly, it would be three months. If Petunia really wanted Lily out of the house, Lily would be out of the house. Her sister would only ever see her in the corner of her eye as Lily made her way out of the house for the day.

Lily was grateful for the older woman, who seemed to understand the situation and made it seem simple and uncomplicated to the student.

But it still didn't _feel_ simple. Because her sister didn't want to be around the _freak_ that was the reason their parents were dead. Was that honestly how her life was going to go?

"What's up buttercup?"

She lets out a chuckle, an honest smile on her face as she looks up and watches James Potter sit down beside her.

"The sky, clouds, the sun and moon-"  
"Yes Lily, you're hilarious," he interrupts, rolling his eyes and nudging her shoulder with his.  
"We've already established that Potter."

Her eyes still trained on his face, she watches him shake his head and lean it back against the tree trunk she was leaning on. He'd been a constant, this Christmas break. He'd kept her busy, kept her talking, never letting them drift into silence for a long enough period for her to begin questioning herself. Lily was grateful for this as well.

For all of his attempts to keep her from going insane.

"I actually have something for you," James tells her, reaching into his jacket pocket, pulling out an envelope and holding it in her direction.  
She sighs, "We said that we wouldn't get each other gifts."  
"It's from my mother, actually. She was adamant on me giving this to you before New Year's."

Lily frowns, eyes the envelope with scrutiny before plucking it from his fingers between her fore-finger and thumb. It isn't sealed, but she imagines that if this had been mailed directly to her, a wax-seal would have adorned the envelope's opening. She slips a finger under the opening, opening the envelope carefully and slipping the piece of care from out of its confines.

It feels official, if a letter could ever feel that, she supposes. Nice paper, neat handwriting, formally worded. The witch had only seen such things when receiving her Hogwarts' letters.

Her eyes skim the page, picking up the key words before frowning again.

"You don't have to come, it's just that I won't be here on New Year's Eve, this is kind of tradition for our family," James explains to her, "And I didn't think you'd really want to be alone at Hogwarts on New Year's Eve, so I talked to Mum. Apparently she is quite interested in meeting this elusive Lily Evans that Sirius keeps talking about."  
She lets out a laugh, looking at him in disbelief, "That _Sirius_ keeps talking about? James, honestly, don't lie, it's very unbecoming."  
"Okay, so I've mentioned you once or twice."  
" _Sure_."  
"Maybe more than once or twice then."

Lily smiles, nudging him with her elbow and having to force back any laughter. There's a chuckle from beside her, and a glance at James Potter finds her taking in a blush that's slowly creeping its way up his neck to his ears. Her smiles softens, and she leans her head against his shoulder.

"I would love to come James. Thank you."  
"Welcome," he murmurs, and she feels and arm loop around her waist and pull her closer.

…

 _Merry leap day lovelies, and here's to being one day closer to finishing my 38 hour + work week. Omg. I'm dying._

 _And not just because Leonardo DiCaprio won and Oscar, but maybe mostly because Leonardo DiCaprio won an Oscar._

 _Thank you!_

 _All mistakes are mine._

 _Review?_


	6. 31st of December (Sixth Year)

**The Pen.  
Words: **275 **  
Couple:** James Potter and Lily Evans **  
Book:** Harry Potter **  
Disclaimer:** All characters you recognize belong to J.K. Rowling. **  
AU.**

…

 **31** **st** **of December (Sixth Year)**

Less than an hour to midnight, James finds her in the library. Her legs curled up onto a large lounge chair, facing away from him, and her shoes discarded by the chair. Surrounded by stacked books, that his mother had left to come back to another time, Lily looked at home. Her fingers toyed with the edge of the page as her eyes scanned the words, and it was a large contrast to how she'd been in the ballroom.

James had known from the moment they set foot in the ballroom that she had felt out of place. He'd attempted to ensure she was never left alone in the crowded room, with the Marauder's help, because he knew exactly what _that_ felt like. And it sucked.

She doesn't say a thing when he sits in the chair beside her, kicking his shoes off in what could only be a similar fashion to her earlier self. Her eyes remain on the page in front of her until her hand moves and turns it.

"It's was a bit crowded out there," she says after a quiet moment, her eyes staying on the book.  
"Kind of suffocating, huh?"

Smiling sadly to herself, Lily turns the page of her book and looks up. Tears brim her eyes, and James Potter reaches out to her silently. The prefect moves until she's leaning heavily on him, eyes closed and shattered breaths leaving her lips.

"I miss them James."  
"I know Lils, I know."

Her arms snake around his waist until James has to pull her onto his lap in order to support her. With her face tucked into his neck, sob rips through her and tears soak his collar. And James finds there is nothing much else he can do but hold her tighter and murmur reassurances in her ear, until eventually she seems to calm.

"Does this get any easier?" Lily whispers, moving her head onto his shoulder in order to be able to look up at him.  
"Some days," James muses, frowning, "But there are going to be times when you want nothing but to stay in bed all day because the ache sort of ways you down."  
He feels her nod against him, "Do you miss him?"

James' frown deepens, choosing his words carefully. Given the fact that his father was more often than not away on missions for the Ministry, he didn't have the type of relationship with him that Lily had with her parents.

"I used to, all the time," he says slowly as he moves a hand to trail his fingers through her curls, "But some days it kind of just hits me. You just think, 'wow, Dad would have loved that,' and you just remember."

Her head moves against his shoulder again, mimicking the nodding movement from earlier, and James feels her take a deep breath.

They sit like this for several minutes, James Potter taking the feeling of her chest expanding with each breath, the tickle as they hit his neck in small gusts of air. The silence is unnerving, and he loses the courage to say anything as she calms down. Glancing down at Lily's face to find her eyes closed, the Gryffindor boy smiles and follows suit.

The arm holding her in place tightens, and when a clock chimes loudly from the other-side of the library and cheering is heard coming from the ballroom it's in this position that a sleepy Lily Evans opens her eyes.

"Happy new year," James murmurs, eyes still closed and a yawn escaping his mouth.  
Smiling, Lily leans her head up and presses a kiss to his jaw-line, "Happy new year James."

…

 _TV Shows are coming back, and I don't have a life. So here, have a chapter._

 _Review?_

 _All mistakes are mine._

 _Thank you!_


	7. 23rd of January (Sixth Year)

**The Pen.  
Words: **372 **  
Couple:** James Potter and Lily Evans **  
Book:** Harry Potter **  
Disclaimer:** All characters you recognize belong to J.K. Rowling. **  
AU.**

…

 **23** **rd** **of January (Sixth Year)**

Lily gingerly wipes at the scratches on his shoulder, cringing internally when she hears him hiss.

"We completed it in fourth year," James tells her, moments later when she's moved away to collect the appropriate bandages.  
"The animagus spells?"  
He nods, "Just before exams began, Mooney was beside himself when he realised we'd been prioritising the spell above studying."  
"I could imagine."

Moving back to him, and placing herself cross-legged in front of him on the bed, a smile grows on her face as she sorts through the collection of bandages in front of her. Feeling him staring at her, Lily looks up and shakes her head before returning to the takes at hand.

"What's so funny?"  
Lifting a cotton pad and holding it to the smaller scratches, Lily shrugs, "You just amuse me, is all."  
"How?"

The prefect shakes her head again, reaching for his uninjured left hand to direct him in holding the padding to his shoulder before doing the same with the larger scratch.

"Lily, how?"  
"I just don't understand how you continue to find all these redeeming qualities and make it quite difficult for me to hate you."

There's a breathless chuckle from James, and Lily simply smiles as she reaches for the material to wrap and hold the cotton pads in place. Beginning at the larger pad she unrolls it behind his shoulder and up under his armpit.

"These qualities make me likable enough to tell me a story?" he asks her, his eyes following the movement of her hands as she wraps the material once around his arm, covering the smaller pad so he can remove his hand.  
"What story?"  
"Why you use the pen," James suggests slowly.

Lily frowns, continuing her repetitive wrapping movements in silence until the fabric runs out. Taking his hand again she presses it to the end of the material and searches for a pin. Finding it in amongst the mess of cloths and bandages Lily carefully slides it into the fabric, weaving it in hopes to secure it, before pulling herself out of his personal space.

Taking a deep breath, Lily meets his eyes, "Maybe another day, just, not right now."  
"Okay," he nods, smiling softly at her, "Another day."

…

 _Happy Easter my lovelies, so here is a gift._

 _Thank you!_

 _All mistakes are mine._

 _Review?_


	8. 14th of February (Sixth Year)

**The Pen.  
Words: **615 **  
Couple:** James Potter and Lily Evans **  
Book:** Harry Potter **  
Disclaimer:** All characters you recognize belong to J.K. Rowling. **  
AU.**

…

 **14** **th** **of February (Sixth Year)**

Given the years of affection for Lily Evans that James Potter had under his belt, it comes to no surprise for him when his eyes find her red mane in amongst the crowded tables of the Three Broomsticks. Her head is bowed over a pile of parchment, and the table is layered in textbooks. There's a pen twirling between her fingers, which she puts to the parchment every once in a while.

James pushes through the crowds of students, stopping in front of the bar. Madame Rosmerta waves a hand in his direction and holds up for fingers. Shaking his head he holds two fingers up in reply and leans against the polished bench.

"And where are the boys today Mr. Potter?" Madame Rosmerta smiles, placing the butterbear bottles in front of him.  
"Sirius is off chasing some poor girl's skirt," James shrugs, "Remus is trying to knock some sense into him, and I think Peter is off doing what Peter does best."  
"Getting lost in Honeydukes?"  
"Exactly."  
The woman chuckles, taking the galleons the quidditch captain holds out to her, "Do make sure they come and say hello."

With promises to try, James pushes his way back through the crowds and stops at Lily Evans' table. Sliding into the empty booth seat across from her, he places the bottles carefully between her textbooks and plucks the pen from her fingers.

"Potter, I will stab you with that pen," Lily growls, looking up from her parchment.  
"I don't think you would."  
"You never know unless I try."

Smirking, James waves the pen around in her face and pulls it to his chest when she goes to take it from him. The frown on Lily's face slowly turns upwards, and she shakes her head as his childish antics continue.

"I want to re-approach the subject about how this thing works again."  
"It's not magic James Potter," she tells him simply, reaching for one of the butterbeers and lifting it to her lips.  
"It so is, there's a spell or something on a vial of liquid, making it flow neatly as you write."  
"You're kind of right."  
James' eyebrows furrow, "Wait, I am?"

Lily's other hand takes the pen from his grasp. She holds it up as she places the bottle back on the table to indicate with her hand.

"There's a sort of tube in the centre filled with ink," the prefect begins moving her finger along the pen edge, "And at the top there's this little ball that sort of rolls around when it's moved across parchment. So when you move the pen across the paper to write, the ball turns and rolls and the ink inside comes out onto the paper."  
"How come it doesn't dry out?" James questions.  
With a smile, Lily points to the top of the pen again, "The ball is in there tight enough to keep air out and stop the ink from drying out."

Cocking his head to the side, James takes the pen back, running it along the tip of his finger. A blue line appears after it, and he frowns.

"What's wrong now Potter?"  
"You just took all the fun out of it."

He watches her roll her eyes and take a swig of the butterbeer. She only shrugs, smiling broadly at him as he sighs.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't tell me, and continue to assume it's magic."  
"You're a child James Potter. A small child."

…

 _So I think I accidently had them spend Valentines' Day together, but that's cute yeah._

 _I've decided to finish this at 15 chapters, I did have other chapters planned, and partially written, but there's only so much you can do with a pen, so if they ever get developed I might post them separately in their own little collection. You feel me?_

 _Good._

 _Anyhoo._

 _Thank you!_

 _All mistakes are mine._

 _Review?_


	9. 31st of March (Sixth Year)

**The Pen.  
Words: **419 **  
Couple:** James Potter and Lily Evans **  
Book:** Harry Potter **  
Disclaimer:** All characters you recognize belong to J.K. Rowling. **  
AU.**

…

 **31** **st** **of March (Sixth Year)**

Nudging his bedroom door open, James Potter drops his book bag on the floor and shrugs his jacket off as he moves to the bed in the centre of the room. With a sigh the quidditch captain falls backwards onto the bed and closes his eyes.

"James hunny, when did you get home?" his mother smiles, leaning against the doorway and taking in the image of her son.  
"Just then, I swear Sirius is trying to kill me."  
Euphemia Potter laughs, "With love, I'm sure. Would it make you feel better if I told you that a letter came for you while you were gone?"

He sits up, opening his eyes and smiling at her as Euphemia moved forward into the room and sat beside him.

"But I suppose you don't really care to hear from Lily Evans," Mrs. Potter muses, holding the letter in front of him.  
Rolling his eyes, James takes the letter and runs his finger under the sealed edge of the envelope, "Mother you know you're my number one girl," he tells her jokingly, his eyes roaming over the parchment and separating pages as he thumbed through the contents.

Rolling her eyes, the older witch stands and moves gracefully towards the desk in the corner of the room, just by the door. Running her hands over the top of the chair, Euphemia reaches for the small cylindrical object that she'd seen her son writing with over the last few months.

"If I'm you favourite girl James, I do have a request."  
"Yeah Mum, what's up."  
Turning to her son and holding the object up for him to see, Euphemia smirks, "Please don't dismantle anymore of these in the library, there was ink all of the desk and Theresa was not happy with you."

Her son's face drains of colour, and she was certain he was thinking of the small house elf that had become almost a second mother to him throughout his childhood.

"I'll apologise to her later."  
"Good, because aside from that she has missed you since New Years."

A small smile pulls at James Potter's lips as she turns and places the object back on the desk, leaving the bedroom and softly closing the door behind her. With a shake of her head, Euphemia Potter wonders if the boy would ever stop getting on the poor elves' nerves.

"Most unlikely," she mutters to herself as she hears a crash from the kitchen that tells her of Sirius Black returning home, "Not at all."

…

 _So through the world of Pottermore many of my headcanons have been ruined. Most importantly James parents. Ugh. However I am still in denial about the one tiny thing about their employment status, because I do not believe that Fleamont Potter just let his amazing duelling skills go to waste by just going and inventing Sleakeazy then not go and be an auror. Denial I tell you._

 _Of course, God knows if Fleamont was any good at duelling, but lets just pretend._

 _Anyway, happy Sunday my loves, and hope that your hangovers were not as bad as mine._

 _Thank you!_

 _All mistakes are mine._

 _Review?_


	10. 25th of April (Sixth Year)

**The Pen.  
Words: **276 **  
Couple:** James Potter and Lily Evans **  
Book:** Harry Potter **  
Disclaimer:** All characters you recognize belong to J.K. Rowling. **  
AU.**

…

 **25** **th** **of April (Sixth Year)**

"James?"

He looks up from his transfiguration essay to find Lily Evans, sitting hesitantly next to him. A very-late-for-patrol Lily Evans.

"What's up?" he asks slowly, eyes flicking away from her face to his watch just to double check the time, "Don't you have patrols?"  
"Uh, yeah," she nods, hands in her lap and fidgety.  
"So what's going on?"  
"I wanted to say thank you."

James frowns, trying to think of any occurrences in the last twenty-four hours that would require such a statement, and coming up with nothing.

"For the calligraphy pen set," Lily explains, "They're gorgeous."  
He chuckles, realising she'd been talking about her birthday present, "Well, if you're going to write in a swirly letters that no one can understand I believe you should use the correct pen for it."

He watches her smile softly, shrugging at the comment and drop her eyes to her hands in her lap. James had realised how difficult it would have been for her to finally come to the conclusion that this would be her first birthday without her parents. Such realisation for her, had slipped her into a state of simply living. Walking, eating, breathing, sleeping.

He watches her take a deep breath and lean closer to him, her lips pressing against his left cheek in such a shy gesture similar to New Year's Eve that he smiled.

"Thank you," she repeats, breath hitting his cheeks as she speaks.  
"Welcome."

Lily pulls away from him, smiles shyly at him before standing up and leaving for patrols. In her wake, she leaves James Potter in an almost replica of the dazed man he was on New Year's.

…

 _Yes Lily's birthday is earlier in the year. Just ignore that fact though, because I needed an excuse to have this happen._

 _And I have time to myself today, so finishing the final chapter of this has been priority. However,I just slept, so maybe tomorrow?_

 _Thank you!_

 _All mistakes are mine._

 _Review?_


	11. 13th of May (Sixth Year)

**The Pen.  
Words: **837 **  
Couple:** James Potter and Lily Evans **  
Book:** Harry Potter **  
Disclaimer:** All characters you recognize belong to J.K. Rowling. **  
AU.**

…

 **13** **th** **of May (Sixth Year)**

As James Potter and Sirius Black step through the portrait hole into the Gryffindor common room, they are greeted by an almost empty space and the dulled voices of Remus Lupin and Lily Evans' discussing their most recent Ancient Runes assignment. Looking over to his pseudo-brother, James smiles at the relief that washes across the other boy's face.

Both had not been looking forward to coming back to the a full common room, students asking questions as to why they were pulled from classes so rapidly that morning. The thought of having to really talk about what was happening in the walls of St. Mungo's at that time was going to be difficult to explain to their own friends, let alone the entirety of Gryffindor's incredibly nosy student body.

"Think it's just the translation?" Lily's voice is a bit louder as they move towards the flickering fire and lounges.  
"Making we just misinterpreted the runes, it's probably something simple and we're just over-thinking it."  
The female prefect sits up without a beat, her hand reaching out towards James Potter as she continued, "But in the context it's right."

With a small smile, James lets her take his hand and pull him over to the couch to sit down. Once he's settled, hearing Remus mutter to himself about how it had nothing to do with context, the girl is leaning back into him as though he was her own personal pillow.

"Come on Remus, you know context has everything to do with it."  
"Yeah Remus," James teases with a smirk, curling his right arm around Lily's waist without hesitation, " _Context has everything to do with it_."

The boy in question rolls his eyes as Lily slaps at his arm and tilts her head back to narrow her eyes at him. The quidditch captain shrugs and gives her a small smile as she resettles her head against his shoulder. Looking up to Peter as he asks about his mother, James notices the flicker of Sirius' eyes toward him and Lily, before he shares a look with Remus.

"A week under observation," Sirius says without missing a beat, his eyes flicking back to meet James', "But they won't clear her for field duty until the end of July."  
"One too many incidents and she's not a spring-chicken anymore," James explains, "They're worried about lasting effects."

The other Marauder's nod, Remus making a comment about convincing her to come and teach at Hogwarts instead. Met with laughter at the idea, the werewolf just shrugs and throws a piece of candy in James' direction in retaliation.

…

It's well into the next morning when the boys all move up to the dormitory, leaving James there with Lily Evans tucked into his side and watching the fire flicker and pop. The pair sit in silence, and if it wasn't for the feeling of Lily's flingers trailing patterns over the back of his hand, James Potter would have assumed she had fallen asleep.

"After the O.W.L.s incident I was pissed," Lily murmured.  
With a frown, the Gryffindor Chaser looked down at the girl, "Lily?"  
"The pens," she sighs, shifting in her spot so that she's almost on top of him with her arms wrapped around his waist, "I was furious at Severus for calling me a Mudblood, it was one of the few insecurities I had ever felt sure enough to share with anyone, and he threw it back it my face."  
"You really don't have to tell me Lily, I understand."  
"I want to."

Her eyes open and she looks up at him, the sincerity in her eyes leaving James speechless with no other option but to nod in reply.

"I hated the damn things anyway, never understood why I had to use them, so I chucked them all out. Every single one of them. Went out the next day after getting home and bought a packet of pens, nicked a few from Dad's office and some of the fancier ones that Tuney left lying around the house," Lily smiled to herself, "There are few muggle things that I kept when I came here, but I wanted to remind Severus constantly that I was indeed a Mudblood, and no amount of torture or humiliation from him or his Death Eater friends could change that. I don't want to change it."  
"Lily-"  
"I mean, using a pen is a small thing. But we have almost every N.E.W.T. level class together, so it's efficient."  
With a chuckle, James presses a soft kiss to her hair and shakes his head, "Thank you. You didn't have to tell me."  
"I needed and wanted to. I trust you."

James smiles, and watches as she closes her eyes. The prefect in his arms shifts herself once again until she's comfortable. Sitting like this, watching her as her breathing slowly evens out and she falls asleep, James Potter is actually grateful for the day Lily Evans threw out all of her quills.

Curiosity didn't kill this cat. Not this time.

…

 _This is the "kind-of-settled-into-the-new-place-sorry-for-being-a-shit-updater" update. Just in case you were wondering._

 _Thank you!_

 _All mistakes are mine._

 _Review?_


	12. 1st of June (Sixth Year)

**The Pen.  
Words: **643 **  
Couple:** James Potter and Lily Evans **  
Book:** Harry Potter **  
Disclaimer:** All characters you recognize belong to J.K. Rowling. **  
AU.**

…

 **1** **st** **of June (Sixth Year)**

"Enter."

Lily Evans slowly pushes open the door to Professor Minerva McGonagall's office, and stops just past the threshold when she sees Mrs. Euphemia Potter sitting in a chair across from the Head of Gryffindor.

"Come take a seat Miss Evans."

The prefect's feet dragged, confusion settling on her shoulders and dragging her downwards at the sight of the Auror. The older woman looked at her with a smile as she sat beside her, and uncertainty fired up hotter inside Lily.

Tearing her eyes away from Mrs. Potter, Lily looks to her Head of House, "You wanted to see me about summer holiday arrangements, Professor?"  
"Yes," she smiles, "Given recent events, Headmaster Dumbledore and I have decided, in co-ordination with the Auror department, that the safest place for you these holidays is with a trained Auror."  
"'Given recent events'? I thought the Ministry found the attack was random. My parent's weren't targeted because of me."  
"Circumstances change, Miss Evans."

Eyebrows creased, a frown grows on Lily's face. It takes her a few moments, but Lily tries to recall the conversation she'd had with her Head of House when she first was told of her parent's passing.

"You told me it wasn't because of me attending Hogwarts that they were killed."  
"I do apologise for lying to you Miss Evans, but-"  
"So it was my fault?"  
"It wasn't your fault," Mrs. Potter interrupted, "But it has been learnt that Lord Voldemort may be trying to recruit within the school."  
Lily scoffed, "So he killed my parents?"  
"In an attempt to rid you of personal ties that may keep you from wishing to join. There has been chatter, you and many of your fellow students, no matter what magical heritage, have been outlined as possible candidates and we're hoping to minimise the possibility of him contacting any of you," the auror explained carefully.  
"Well he's sorely mistaken if he believes it's going to work," the prefect states.

A knock at the door stops the professor as she goes to speak, and all three women look up to see James Potter standing in the doorway with two trunks. Lily's eyes fall on the one closest to him, and the small flower stickers she'd placed on it in first year.

"Mrs. Potter should not be subjected to looking after a third person over the summer holidays," Lily argues, turning back to Professor McGonagall, "She won't be cleared for duty for another two months, and having to worry about this supposed threat with me in the house will put strain on her recovery and prolong the time in which she'll be cleared to return to duty."  
"I'm sorry Miss Evans, but a decision has been made. You cannot stay here over the summer, and Euphemia has volunteered," Professor McGonagall tells her calmly.  
"And if I refuse?"  
James' voice picks up from the door, "Lily."

Turning back to her fellow Gryffindor, the prefect crosses her arms across her chest and glares at the boy. He cocks his head to the side with a sigh and a frown, trying his best to look innocent in the entire situation.

"Just humour us, you really don't have many other options," he pleads.  
"I can look after myself, honestly."  
"Oh we believe you," James' lips turn up at the corners, "Everyone would just prefer it if you looked after yourself from the safety of Potter Manor."  
Lily's eyes narrow further, but she begrudgingly turns back to her Transfiguration professor, "When are we leaving?"

The older woman nods with a thoughtful smile, and gestures towards the fireplace on the left wall of her office.

"Do ensure to not injure Mr. Potter or Mr. Black over the holidays," Minerva smiled, "I do require them to play quidditch in the new school year, as this may be the last cup we win for quite some time."

…

 _This is the "I really don't want to finish unpacking my room, because what's the point when I just have to pack it up again in Februrary for uni" post. That and the new laptop if set up and I'm just in love with it._

 _Thank you!_

 _All mistakes are mine._

 _Review?_


	13. 6th15th23rd of June (Summer Holidays)

**The Pen.  
Words: **960 **  
Couple:** James Potter and Lily Evans **  
Book:** Harry Potter **  
Disclaimer:** All characters you recognize belong to J.K. Rowling. **  
AU.**

…

 **6** **th** **of June (Summer Holidays)**

Stepping out of the guest bedroom, Lily Evans is greeted by silence.

When she had woken up in the library after the New Years Eve ball, she had been greeted by the sounds of Sirius Black and James Potter arguing in the kitchen over the last plate of pancakes. Mrs. Potter breaking them up and scolding them for being loud with her asleep so close to the kitchen. But this time? Silence.

Lily knew that Mrs. Potter had engagements at another home not far from the manor, and would be out for the morning, but that didn't explain the silence and lack of ruckus from the two Gryffindor boys.

Moving slowly down the hallway, the prefect stops before the entrance to the dining room and peers out the window over-looking the orchids. Just before the trees, hovering over the expanse of grass is James Potter sitting on his broomstick as Sirius Black flies circles around him.

Staying there for a few moments, Lily watches as the two run quidditch drills and stop every so often to argue – or so she believes they are, seeing Sirius' arms are flail wildly as he speaks. It goes on like that for a while, and the prefect simply shakes her head and turns away from the window in search for something more substantial than tea for brunch.

…

 **15** **th** **of June**

"The pot is boiling over."

James swears under his breath and flicks a wand in the general direction of the stove, his left hand reaching for bowls from the top cupboard. Successfully pulling two down, he turns to find Lily smirking from the kitchen entrance with a book held to her chest.

"And Tilly approved this?" she asked him, eyes following him as he moved to place the bowls down on the marble bench and remove the pot from the stove.  
"She went with Mum, but it did take a lot of convincing to get her to do that."

There's a laugh from behind him, and James rolls his eyes as he drains water from the pot into the sink. He can hear her moving across the floor and pulling out a stool from the kitchen island. When the Gryffindor Chaser turns with drained pasta pot in hand, the prefect is watching him expectantly.

"You could help," James says, pulling serves of pasta from the pot and depositing them into the bowls.  
With a shake of her head Lily smiles, "James Potter is cooking me dinner the muggle way, there is no way I'm going to get involved in this."  
"Lazy."  
"Just curious."

Stilling his hand, James looks at her with a soft smile as he holds the now almost empty pot. Somewhere in his brain is admiring the wide grin on her face that had been present for a majority of the last two weeks since arriving at Potter Manor. A smile that in the lead up to summer holidays had been overrun by a worried frown and creased eyebrows instead of smiling eyes. And if his stomach stopped flipping and his brain began working, James knew that he could formulate some form of a sentence to fill the silence that fell between them.

"You okay there Potter?" she teases, reaching across the island for one of the bowls.  
"Will be if you go get the pasta sauce," he smirks.

The prefect mock salutes and hops off of the stool, playfully bumping into him with an infectious laugh as she moves over to where he's left the pasta sauce simmering on the stove behind him.

…

 **23** **rd** **of June**

Euphemia Potter notices the sound of a snitch before she sees the flickering of candlelight through the door to the library. With narrowed eyes, she carefully pushes the door open and steps into the large room.

The golden snitch whizzes past her ear and towards a large mahogany bookshelf against the left wall, navigating randomly around the space at a speed in which the auror is unable to follow effortlessly with her eyes. Euphemia takes in the mess of parchment on her late-husband's desk that trails to the lounge chairs in the centre of the room. Sitting sprawled over her preferred chair is Sirius Black, his hands moving as he lazily turns pages on a quidditch magazine.

"Go to bed Sirius," the auror smiles, moving across the room to stand by the chair and finding a mess of textbooks on the ground surrounding two other bodies.  
The Black descendant chuckles, "Yeah, and I'll have no ammunition to tease these two."

With his back against a chair, her son's head is leant back on the cushion and his eyes closed. Placed next to his head on the lounge hair is an open Potion's textbook with still drawings of snitches in the margins. James Potter's chest rises and falls slowly as he sleeps, and it's soft enough that it doesn't disturb Lily Evans' own slumber as she lay across the floor with her head awkwardly leant against him. The young girl's own textbooks are strewn out around her, with crumpled balls of parchment forming a hill by her left foot, balancing precariously.

Shaking her head, Euphemia reaches for the magazine in Sirius' hands and pulls it away from him swiftly, "Go to bed, and wake them up too. You'll regret not doing it when they complain about aches in the necks all day."

He rolls his eyes, making a show of sitting up straight and standing before holding his hand out for the magazine back. Euphemia hands it back to him with a smile, and turns to leave as he crouches down to shake his friend awake.

"Bugger off Padfoot," her son's sleepy voice splutters and the auror holds back a laugh at the resounding sound of a slap that follows her out of the library.

…

 _Apologies, but it's been a very busy few months (laugh because it's now January). But! Everythings shaping up, so hopefully this will be finished squarely in the next couple of weeks._

 _Thank you!_

 _All mistakes are mine._

 _Review?_


	14. 3rd of July (Summer Holidays)

**The Pen.  
Words: **935 **  
Couple:** James Potter and Lily Evans **  
Book:** Harry Potter **  
Disclaimer:** All characters you recognize belong to J.K. Rowling. **  
AU.**

…

 **3rd of July (Summer Holidays)**

The Quidditch magazine left open across James Potter's thigh had been long forgotten, and his hands had become occupied with the strands of Lily Evans' hair instead of turning the its pages. The prefect had only shot him a glare over her shoulder when he had moved around the tree to sit behind her, legs spread either side of her frame, and started weaving his fingers through her hair. Braids had begun forming in wake of his fingers as Lily continued to write on the parchment leant on the book in front of her.

When he runs out of hair to play with, the quidditch captain slowly undoes the completed braids and starts again, continuing like this for the next hour in silence. If in anyway it's distracting or annoying to the girl in front of him, she says nothing, leaving him to his own devices.

The pair had been seated under the large Oak Tree in the yard in front of the manors entrance for little over three hours. Sirius Black had found himself a young, attractive, female muggle who was visiting her grandparents a few acres over to entertain himself with, leaving them alone in the quiet confines of the manor while Euphemia Potter was at the Ministry. Quiet and silence were not synonymous with Sirius Black, and had been something of a miracle since they'd all returned to the Potter Manor at the beginning of summer holidays.

While the muggle-born witch in front of him had no doubt completed all of the reading necessary for the holidays, she was adamant that they use the time without Sirius to their advantage and get more work down. Leading them to the moment where James Potter gave up trying to concentrate on the magazine in front of him, when watching Lily take notes was surprisingly fascinating to him.

He supposes, however, everything Lily Evans does in fascinating to him.

"Your mother is home," her voice murmurs, breaking him from his trance and causing him to still the fingers in her hair.  
"Huh?"  
"She just apparated in, unlike your buffoon of a friend, when Mrs. Potter arrives home she tends to miss the coffee table and doesn't make a loud noise in the foyer," Lily explains, turning her head to look him in the eyes.  
James shakes his head, leaning it back against the trunk of the tree with a smile, "Know-it-all."  
"Just observant Potter," she mocks, "Observant enough to know that _something_ is bothering you, hence why instead of fidgeting with that damn snitch, you're playing with my hair."

The Gryffindor Chaser sighed, his fingers moving away from the prefect's hair as she pushed her work to the side and turned awkwardly to face him. One of the braids fell onto her face and Lily let out a frustrated breath as she pushed it back behind her ear with the others.

"What's going on James?" Lily asked him, hands moving to rest on each knee either side of her.  
"Just thinking, I do tend to do that sometimes," he jokes, running a hand through his hair.  
"Yeah, sure," the prefect rolls her eyes, "Tell me."

James cocks his head to the side, watching Lily's face as she tried to stare the truth from him.

"Oh come on," she whines, her hands squeezing his knees affectionately, "How bad could it be? Unless you raided my suitcase, then I might be a bit miffed."  
"I didn't raid your suitcase Lily, I'm not Sirius."  
Lily smirks, mimicking the position of his head, "But I still wouldn't be surprised."  
"Have a little faith," James requested with a roll of his eyes.

A laugh escapes Lily Evans' lips, and James has to clench his jaw to prevent himself from pushing forward and kissing it away. The young prefect mutters something under her breath, another chuckle escaping her, about how he had no idea before smiling at him sadly.

"Please James?"  
With a sigh he rests his head against the trunk of the tree behind him and says, "I was thinking about what happened after our last O.W.L. exam."  
"And why would you do such a thing?" she accuses.  
"I'd realised I never apologised," he continues, lifting his head again to meet her eyes, "No matter what was going on between Snape, Sirius and I, he was your friend, and we provoked him until his snapped. At you, unfortunately."  
"Anything Severus said when provoked was only something he had been thinking all along."

The young Potter shakes his head with a small smile, almost amazed at her ability to rationalize anything and everything. Having made excuses for almost every stupid thing he'd done that summer alone, James Potter was sure that he had to be running out of string to hold onto. There was no chance she had so much patience for him.

"And besides," the Gryffindor Prefect continues, "It was bound to happen eventually, he'd begun hanging out with Malfoy and the others more. Severus was easily manipulated, they would have made him cut me off sooner or later."

Her lips curl into a smile, and his eyes stay glued to them as she leans forward and presses them against his cheek. The kiss tingles across the small expanse of skin, and James is left wishing that only she'd moved a few millimetres to the left. As she pulls back, her smile broadened, James moves a hand to cup her cheek and hold her in place.

"Merlin, what _are_ you?" he asks breathily, his hand on her cheek pulling her forward as he gives in, pressing his lips to hers.

…

 _Just over a week until the move for university! Trying to smash out chapters to I can post weekly during and just before I start studying – I say this and I'm going eat my words later. We'll see_

 _All mistakes are mine._

 _Thank you!_

 _Review?_


	15. 16th of July (Summer Holidays)

**The Pen.  
Words: **393 **  
Couple:** Lily Evans and James Potter. **  
Book:** Harry Potter. **  
Generation:** The Marauder's Era. **  
Disclaimer:** All characters you recognize do not belong to me. The prompt was found on Tumblr. **  
AU.**

…

 **16** **th** **of July (Summer Holidays)**

The Potter library is quiet, and given that Hestia Jones had seen James Potter enter the room fifteen minutes prior she's shock at the revelation. The boy didn't know silence. He was a Marauder, chaos is what Marauder's did and chaos was not silent.

Hestia frowns as she walks in, a hand running lightly along a shelf to her left as she turns towards the main sitting area in the room. Lily Evans' book bag is sitting on Mrs. Potter's designated chair. The female prefect is nowhere in sight despite this, her usual armchair empty and her pile of books the same as they were that morning when Hestia had first arrived.

Moving further into the room she hears a snore, stopping her at the opening between two bookshelves. Her eyes drawn to a lounge chair that had been moved from the main area the day before. James Potter's legs are hanging over the arm-rest, his head rested against the top cushion. Sitting in his lap, face curled into his neck and hands gripping his shirt is Lily Evans, fast asleep.

A disbelieving chuckle escapes Hestia's lips. Things had been different, for some time, she knew this. But seeing it was completely different to guesses and assumptions. The friendship had come as a shock to a lot of people, especially herself. Lily Evans had always been adamant in her dislike for the Gryffindor Chaser. His personality had clashed with hers from the get-go. Inevitable really. His constant pulling of pigtails was a sure-fire way of getting on Lily's nerves.

There was closeness, especially in the weeks following the death of Lily's parents. But there was still always a distance kept. Just enough to keep their relationship strictly platonic. Hestia believed that would have been her best friend's work, no doubt. But it was still there.

James Potter had probably craved for so long, even just the tiniest bit of attention from the girl that at the moment she offered a chance for it he'd take it. Hestia hoped that it wasn't just him taking the opportunity to "win" Lily. Despite her doubts that the friendship would work, Hestia was happy to see them like this.

Lily needed this. And if James Potter was who provided this, then so be it. As long as she didn't lose girl's nights, Hestia couldn't give a damn.

…

 _Countdown to move in on campus – three days. I'm dying okay._

 _In response to a guest review – firstly I was so tired I wrote Catcher instead of Chaser. But second: In the books, James Potter was a Chaser for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. I don't write based on the movies unless it's actually specified in the header. I only write to the books, therefore, James is a Chaser (not a catcher, sleep deprived Paige doesn't proof read very well. Apologies)_

 _All mistakes are mine._

 _Thank you!_

 _Review?_


	16. 5th of August (Summer Holidays)

**The Pen.  
Words: **423 **  
Couple:** Lily Evans and James Potter. **  
Book:** Harry Potter. **  
Generation:** The Marauder's Era. **  
Disclaimer:** All characters you recognize do not belong to me. The prompt was found on Tumblr. **  
AU.**

…

 **5** **th** **of August (Summer Holidays)**

The badge sitting on his desk was taunting him. Its engraved metal spelling out his not-so-distant future overshone the excitement in receiving the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain badge for the second year running. If anything, it highlighted that Albus Dumbledore had gone crazy. Absolutely mad.

Of all the seventh year students, of all the well-mannered, _not_ -James Potter students, the old man had chosen him. One of four students who had done nothing but find every way to break, bend and oppose the rules. And he was supposed to enforce them?

James sighs and lifts his hand to his face, fingers and thumb working at his eyelids to wake himself up. The whole event had been surreal and sent him spinning. Envelopes dropped on the table by the owl, Lily Evans' broad grin at the sight of her own badge falling unceremoniously to the kitchen table. If his mother had been there to witness him swearing under his breath at the sight of the Head Boy badge he'd have been wacked upside the head by a delicately manicured hand.

A smaller hand wraps softly around his wrist, tugging at it to bring it down from his face. James' fingers fall to the red locks of the girl resting against his chest and he chuckles.

"Stop thinking," Lily murmurs, "You'll be fine."  
"He's a lunatic."  
"You're a lunatic."  
Shaking his head he allows his fingers to return to running through her hair, "I wasn't even a prefect."

Lily's body shakes against him as she laughs to herself. Looking down at her James watches as she turns herself so to rest her chin on his chest and look up at him through her lashes.

"This isn't funny Lil, he's mental."  
"Just because you weren't a prefect doesn't mean you don't know what you're doing," she smiles.  
"He's still mental. Absolutely bloody bonkers."

Cocking his head to the side James looks down at Lily, her smile unwavering. A lock of red hair falls onto her face and he brushes it behind her ear. The female prefect drops her head back to his chest, and the pair fall into comfortable silence.

James' brushes fingers through loose strands of her hair as his mind wanders back to the Head Boy badge. The fear that it had brought with it tamed, only slightly, knowing that the girl beside him believed he could do it.

"I have plans for us," Lily murmurs, breaking the silence.  
"Yeah?"  
"Yeah," she moves slightly, repositioning herself only slightly, "But they can wait."  
"If you say so."

…

 _I do apologise, but I've barely stopped all semester. And now it's mid semester break and I have no idea what to do with myself. I even started teaching myself physics…I hate physics._

 _I'm thinking I'll try and pull maybe four more chapters out of this, finish at an even 20. I had such high hopes for giving this like 100 chapters but we all know I get bored so easily._

 _All mistakes are mine._

 _Thank you!_

 _Review?_


End file.
